Sandra Bullock to Voice the Lead Super-Villain in Despicable Me Spin-Off, Minions

We first heard about the Despicable Me minions’ spin-off last summer, and as we approach the anticipated release of Despicable Me 2 this summer, we’re starting to get some promising news on next year’s movie.

Deadline report that Sandra Bullock has signed on to voice the lead super-villain, Scarlet Overkill, going against type to play the baddie for this animated feature.

Illumination Entertainment already have an impressive track record since starting back in 2007, launching Despicable Me to success in 2010, and grossing over half a billion dollars. They followed it up with a live-action/animated blend in 2011’s Hop, and returned last year to bring us Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.

This year, they have Despicable Me 2 coming out, which is sure to be a big hit in the summer. And then all eyes will be turning to those adorable little minions at the end of next year.

“This spinoff establishes that Minions have existed since the beginning of time, in service of history’s most ambitiously evil villains. Through their lovable ineptitude, Minions have managed to thwart and ultimately destroy all of those bad guys. This story picks up in the 1960s, before they hench-ed for Gru. With no more super-villains to serve, the Minions fall into a collective depression and three of them set out to seek a new evil master. They wind up at a villain convention, where they compete for the right to be henchmen for Scarlet Overkill, whose Audrey Hepburn-like high style appearance belies her world domination ambition and her aspirations to become the world’s first female super-villain.”

The report also brings with it the film’s official title: Minions. Pretty self-explanatory and appropriate for a film centred on the wonderful little yellow critters.

Pierre Coffin (Despicable Me) and Kyle Balda (The Lorax) will be co-directing, with Brian Lynch (Hop, Puss in Boots) penning the script.

The studio put together a great voice cast for Despicable Me and its sequel, along with last year’s The Lorax. And naturally, bringing Sandra Bullock on board is a good sign that they’ll be doing the same thing here for the spin-off.

Minions is set for a 3D release on 19th December, 2014, and you can bet it’s going to be one of the best animated films of next year. (And I’d put an early bet down for it being a Best Animated Feature contender in two years’ time.) Whilst we eagerly await more news on this movie, feel free to go back and watch the first trailer for Despicable Me 2, landing this June/July.

Since graduating, I spend as much time as possible watching films/TV shows, reading books, and listening to music. So getting to write about what I love is nothing short of awesome.
Biggest film-related hope for 2014/ever: Guy Ritchie announcing the RocknRolla sequel is finally moving forward.

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